Best HDD For PS4 – How to Upgrade or Replace PS4 Hard Drive?

4 TB Internal Hard Drive Upgrade For Your PS4

With millions of fans bolstered by universal praise from gaming authorities, the PlayStation 4has decimated the competition in terms of games library, controller quality, hardware and software advancements, online integration, and output video resolution. But some fans are not satisfied with its internal hard drive, for PS4 only has a maximum of 1 TB built-in storage.

Yes, you can upgrade your PS4 hard drive to 2TB with some tinkering for a middle-ground solution, but you can surpass even that and use a 4 TB hard drive with PS4, to maximize the potential. How? Here are two methods:

Method 1: Link an External Hard Drive

Going this way means that you can use hard drives with more than 2 TB or 4 TB capacities, much higher than what can be had if you upgrade the internal hard drive. Also, if you take advantage of PS4’s USB 3.0 compatibility, almost no time is required for copying or transferring large files. The best thing about this option is that you can use any popular hard drive for PS4, including the one you already own.

But then, you can only use the linked external hard drive for backup purposes, or as an archive for some of your media and games — not as an actual upgrade to your PS4’s storage capacity. You can’t play the music, videos, or games stored on the linked external hard drive. You have to manually move each one into the internal drive and play them from there. This can be inconvenient, and is a disadvantage that makes most users opt for the second method.

Method 2: Upgrade the PS4 Internal Hard Drive

Because of the disadvantage of simply linking an external drive, the better solution to the PS4 storage problem is to expand the internal hard drive itself. It is the popular of the two choices because it seamlessly integrates the expanded storage into the system.

This means there’s no need for hassles like transferring media and games to and from the storage device before playing them, cables that might get pulled out of its sockets, and unsightly external hard drives that mar the look of the game console. Indeed, this method is the closest you can get to feeling that you haven’t broken the warranty of your PS4 at all.

PS4 Internal Hard drive Upgrade Limitations

There are some disadvantages, though, if you go the second way, as discussed below.

Reset Issues

The most you can upgrade to, without any drawback at all, is 2TB. You will experience some issues if you go above 2TB hard disk. But if 2TB is simply not enough for your needs, then the best PS4 hard driveto use is one with 4 TB capacity.

But what’s the issue with high-capacity internal hard drives? Well, PS4’s firmware has yet to recognize them. This is demonstrated by resetting the game console. In a reset, the PS4 will do a routine system check, which includes a hard drive scan; the scan will report sector errors for anything beyond 2 TB, causing your PS4 to enter Safe Mode.

This shouldn’t be a cause for panic, though. You can circumvent this trouble by shutting down the PS4 completely and turning it on again.

You Need An Adapter

You need to purchase a secondary device that will act as an intermediary between the console and the hard drive. This is because no 4 TB hard drive can fit into the specialized 2.5-inch slot of the PS4.

So why don’t manufacturers produce 2.5-inch internal hard drives? There are four major reasons:

1.The market share is small and therefore, only marginally profitable.

2.The performance versus speed balance of a 2.5-inch hard drive is hard to achieve if you add an extra 2 TB into the design.

3.In the case of laptops, using an external hard drive is cheaper.

4.SSDs have risen in popularity, reducing the market share of regular HDDs and eliminating the niche 2.5-inch HDD market.

How to Upgrade the Internal Hard Drive For PS4

Here are the things you need to prepare before upgrading:

lA 3.5-inch hard drive. You can use either an HDD or a hybrid SSHD. Preferably, you should buy one from reliable manufacturers like Seagate, Toshiba, WD, and HGST, though any fast one will do.

lA Nyko Data Bank for PlayStation 4. This accessory flawlessly integrates itself with the look and feel of the PS4. It acts as an adapter for your 3.5-inch hard drive.

lThe 800 MB PS4 file, downloadable from the official PS4 website. Have the file ready in your USB thumb drive.

Note: It is important to use the 800 MB file, not the 250 MB file. You will be doing a fresh install, not an update.

Follow the instructions included in the NykoData Bank manual for a detailed step-by-step process of the storage upgrade. Essentially, here’s what you have to do:

1.Make sure the PS4 is turned off properly, unplugged, dry and clean.

2.Use the screwdriver included in the Nyko Data Bank kit, unscrew the internal hard drive, and store it away from dust, heat, and moisture.

3.Insert the Nyko Data Bank adaptor into the hard drive slot, and cover it with the rest of the Nyko Data Bank body.

4.Insert your 4 TB hard drive into the slot in the Nyko Data Bank body, and clip on the top cover.

5.Connect the power cable to the correct port in the PS4 body.

6.Install the 800 MB file update. You can now use your new, high-capacity PS4 to store and play your media and large games.

Conclusion

As you can see, upgrading the internal hard drive for PS4 is not at all hard. The methods available, and the best HDD for PS4 have also been listed to help you choose what to use for your game console. The reasons why it is not advised to upgrade beyond 4 TB have also been supplied, and now it is up to you, the tinkerer, to decide if you would act on your PS4 storage problems or not.

If you do go ahead and use the methods outlined here, then you will be closer to acquiring a larger storage device for your media, games, downloaded content, and freer to enjoy the full potential of your game console.